The rice is expensive too. Look for Valencia, Calaspara or Bomba rice. I put them in order from least to most expensive. The more expensive ones are more "sure fire" and can really suck in some liquid and take longer to become mushy.
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I've made paella before without saffron. It does taste different, but then I don't normally use a lot of saffron to begin with. While not the best quality, you can sometimes find saffron at the supermarket from the more generic brands of spices. That should suffice if you really want the flavor.

Same for me on the rice suggestions. I've used the Boomba myself as i can't find the Valencia or Calaspara local. I'd have to go mail order.
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Grow your own saffron crocus', brother. They're super easy, taste better, and your own goes a lot further.
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I buy everything for Paella online including paprika and saffron.
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Moses, I think you should come live with Lisa and I. You're in charge of all the cooking, all the coffee, and all the wine, okay? I'll take care of the woman, and save you that backache. I don't mind, I'm selfless. :-)
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LOL @ Scott. Not to thread hijack, but glad to hear your back's doing better.
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I've got 99 problems and a ***** ain't one... Generally someone is over for dinner at our house 5 nights a week. Thanks for the offer :-)
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Worth a shot. Thanks for the suggestion, Scott. Looks like I missed the planting season for this year, though.
I'm pretty happy with the smoked paprika I can get locally, but what's your saffron source?
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I go for the largest tin from either La Tienda or Hot Paella; either are the big players in the Spanish imported foods. They rear-end on shipping so it's worth putting in a real order like getting the rice, a couple of other paprikas, perhaps a different size pan? The basic pan is the one to get; the steel mineral content just works the best.

I too like the smoked paprika. I usually mix 2/3's bittersweet smoked and 1/3 hot paprika. I also consider what kind of peppers I using.
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Have you done this yourself? From what I read, it's not that easy and bulbs are expensive. The bulbs don't flower much and tend to not pollinate well.

Would like to know more.
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I love smoked paprika and use it all the time...adds that subtle smokiness to dishes...I get it from La Tienda and usually buy the 3 pack of Hot, Sweet and Bittersweet...
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I had to look around and dig this recipe out. This version uses fresh game and fish from our local waters and woods. Ahh, the smell of toasted saffron, garlic, grilled wild birds and fresh seafood.

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Ingredients:

1 ⁄2 cup olive oil
2 onions, red or yellow, sliced
1 bell or Cubanelle pepper
4 cloves of garlic, chopped
1 large chicken or duck, chopped with skin on
2 lbs. hot, game sausage (alligator, pork, venison, turkey, etc sausage)
8-10 Roma tomatoes, canned, whole
1 large can of quartered, Marzano-type tomatoes
3 or 4 bay leaves
Three 14-oz. cans of chicken stock
3 pinches of Spanish saffron
Three 14-oz. bags of Valencia rice.
3 lbs. large locally caught shrimp, peeled (or we have used grouper or snapper chunks)
1 cup green peas, frozen
1 cup asparagus

Topped with:

Cooked and heated Stone Crab Claws
Grilled Quail or Doves
Grilled Florida lobster tails

You can cook this inside in the oven, but I usually use my outdoor fryer.

Begin by heating Paella pan to 350 degrees. Stir onions, peppers and chopped garlic into about 1⁄2 cup of good olive oil in the bottom of the pan. Then add chicken pieces, bite-sized chunks of sausage, and quartered Roma tomatoes. I usually add some freshly ground pepper and a few bay leaves, but not salt at this stage. Cook the above, stirring occasionally. The result should be a mix of roasted meat and veggies, deeply browned and aromatic. You may want to consider de-boning your poultry now, but that’s not an absolute necessity.

While the chicken, sausage and vegetable mix are cooking, toast the saffron in a small frying pan, just enough to bring out its unique smell. Saffron is rare, and pricey, and a little goes a long way. Two or three small pinches are adequate for a large paella. In a large saucepan, bring your chicken stock near boiling, and add the saffron to flavor it. Canned chicken stock is pretty good, but I’ll admit the best paellas I’ve had used homemade fish or shrimp stock.
Add the hot stock to the paella pan’s contents, then mix in your rice, and salt to taste. I use Valencia rice. It comes packaged in 12- to 14-ounce bags, and I allow one bag for every four persons served. Generally one 14-ounce can of chicken stock is enough to cook one bag of rice, as the meat and vegetables also create some broth. Keep an eye on the stock level as you cook. You may have to adjust the mix with either more rice or more plain stock. Be sure the rice is wet and slightly covered by the broth. Continue to cook, uncovered, until the rice soaks up the liquid.

I usually turn off the heat with the rice slightly crunchy and allow it to continue to cook, covered lightly with foil, after the final ingredients are stirred in. The final ingredients are shrimp (or options), green peas, asparagus, anything that doesn’t need too much cooking. Don’t overcook your shrimp!

As this last part of the process is going on, I usually prepare and cook the “dressy” toppings, such as the grilled wild birds, stone crab claws, lobster tails, etc. Those are added just as the dish is taken to the table.
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Do you have any idea how large a 5.25 cup's rice Paella is? One cup will feed 3-4 people...

Using mixed game birds and meat is a nice way to go. I like pork spare rib scraps too.
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What can I say...when we do it, we do it big! Besides, whenever I fire up the smoker, the fryer, whatever, people just sort of show up from around the neighborhood. Gotta have enough for them to eat!
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I mootched my bulbs, they're super easy to grow, and they flower late. They divide themselves. I don't have them anymore, I lost them in the divorce. I'm sure the ex doesn't know what she's got, they're in front of her house, north side, full shade. I'd have to watch that bed to see how they're doing, but there should be hundreds of bulbs by now. I won't be able to watch cause I live in Ohio now, she's in PA.
All that to say "they're really easy".
You can read all kinds of negative stuff about any plant, Mose. There's no substitute for just carrying your ass out and doing it. :-)
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Making the recipe from "Chainsaw13" again today for the J-E-T-S game today. Thanks again!!!!!
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Awesome! I made sort of a faux paella last night. Had to use up some chicken thighs I'd thawed out and had some brown rice in the fridge. Add a can of chick peas and quartered artichoke hearts, along with some broth and spices. Baked for 1hr 15mins. Thought it might be quicker but seemed to take as much time, just a lot less prep work. Came out well, and very tasty.
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